


Take Off Your Mask [And Be Free]

by Moon_Blitz



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Bathing/Washing, Getting Together, Hand Injuries, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Tending to injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:09:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23885761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_Blitz/pseuds/Moon_Blitz
Summary: Akira is more injured after his time in police custody than anyone suspects. When he finds out, Yusuke isn't about to let him suffer alone.
Relationships: Kitagawa Yusuke/Kurusu Akira
Comments: 4
Kudos: 184
Collections: Minigame: Round 1





	Take Off Your Mask [And Be Free]

**Author's Note:**

  * For [foxjar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxjar/gifts).



Akira had known from the moment he laid eyes on Yusuke that they were soulmates. For a moment, Akira’s whole world had vanished except for the dark-haired teen in front of him, an unfamiliar warmth filling his chest. The way the morning light had picked out the highlights in his hair, the way Akira’s breath left him as their eyes met. The signs of meeting your soulmate were well known, after all. But Yusuke seemed more interested in Ann than him, so he Akira didn’t bring it up.

At first, Akira had wondered if Yusuke’s disinterest in him was the universe’s way of punishing him for standing up to Shido. Society said criminals didn’t deserve their soulmates, and Akira had agreed with that sentiment up until he was labelled a criminal himself. He had bitterly wondered if whatever decided soulmates had made Ann Yusuke’s soulmate simply to spite him.

Then the truth about Madarame had come out, and Yusuke became a Phantom Thief and they had taken down the corrupt artist together. Akira had realized then that Yusuke used his love of art as a shield to keep himself from being hurt any further, and had been left torn between his desire to help his soulmate and his desire to simply be a good friend.

Time passed, and they grew closer, all the while continuing their activities in the Metaverse and gaining new allies. Then they had gone into Sae’s Palace, and Akira was left battered and bruised and even more of a criminal than before.

\- - -

Akira was laying on his bed resting when footsteps on the stairs caught his attention. Turning his head slightly, he wondered if Sojiro was bringing him more medicine when he realized the stairs weren’t creaking enough for the person to be Sojiro. His body protested as he struggled to sit up, breath catching in his throat as a hooded figure stepped into the room. Had Akechi realized he had been tricked and had come to finish him off?

“Akira-san!” the figure said, and Akira nearly collapsed with relief at the sound of Yusuke’s voice. “Please don’t strain yourself on my account.” Akira settled back down at Yusuke took off his coat and pushed his hood back, crossing the room to perch on the edge of the bed.

“What are you doing here, Yusuke?” he asked, watching as Yusuke’s concerned expression deepened as the teen scanned his bruised face and neck.

“I’m here to see you, of course,” Yusuke said softly, and the worry in his voice made something in Akira’s chest grow warm.

“It’s dangerous to see me,” he reminded his friend, closing his eyes against the rush of guilt he felt saying that. He wanted to be with Yusuke, but given everything that had happened, he couldn’t risk Akechi or the authorities realizing he was alive.

“I was careful to avoid being followed,” Yusuke said, shifting slightly on the bed. “And if anyone notices and asks, I can always said I was giving my condolences to Sojiro-san and Futaba-chan.” Fingers brushed the back of his bandaged hand, and Akira couldn’t help but flinch at the spike of pain the touch caused.

“Besides,” Yusuke added a moment later, sounding even more distressed, “I wanted to see you.”

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, the excuse sounding weak even to him.

“Obviously not!” Gentle fingers tipped Akira’s head to the side, better exposing his bruises, but all Akira could focus on was the way Yusuke’s touch warmed his skin.

“Those damn cops...!” His eyes shot open in surprise at the raw fury in Yusuke’s voice, and they widened further at the look of rage in his friend’s gaze. “How badly are you injured? Where else are you hurt?” Yusuke demanded, staring at the blankets covering Akira as if he could see through them.

“More like where am I not injured,” Akira muttered, sighing at Yusuke’s angry expression only deepened. “My chest and ribs are pretty banged up...as well as my hands,” he admitted, forcing himself not to flex his fingers. They weren’t broken, but most of them had been dislocated or at the very least stomped on.

“May I see?” Yusuke asked quietly gesturing towards Akira’s hands. He nodded, and his friend carefully picked them up, wincing in sympathy at Akira’s hiss of pain. He slowly unwrapped the bandages, working his way up from wrist to fingertips, muttering angrily as Akira’s bruised and swollen fingers. “Your hands are important,” he said at last, fingers resting lightly on battered knuckles. “They need to be well cared for if they are to recover properly.”

“It’s hard to do that when I can’t go to the hospital,” Akira pointed out absently, savouring the feeling of Yusuke’s palm against his.

“Indeed,” Yusuke murmured softly, studying Akira’s hands intently. “Please, let me assist you,” he said suddenly, gaze switching from Akira’s hands to his face. “You were injured protecting us. Helping you during your recovery is the least I can do.”

Akira fought down a blush as he stared back at Yusuke. “You don’t– alright,” he said, abandoning his denial partway through. It was selfish of him, but he could spent more time with Yusuke this way.

Yusuke gave him a soft smile and nodded. “Wonderful. Let me change your bandages, then.” When Akira nodded, he gently set down his hand and reached for the medical kit Sojiro had left near the bed.

Akira did his best to relax as Yusuke skillfully applied fresh salve to his hands, then wound clean bandages over everything again. As he worked, Akira’s chest ached in a way that had nothing to do with his injuries. This, he realized, was the most Yusuke had touched him at any one time. He wished he could reach up and brush away the stray hair that had fallen into Yusuke’s eyes, or press a kiss to his fingers to ease his obvious worry.

Finally, Yusuke sat back, concern still written on his face as he gazed at Akira. “What about your other injuries?” he asked softly.

Akira hesitated before he answered. Yusuke had seem him shirtless before at the bathhouse and in Haiwaii, but this was different. His hands were one thing, but he didn’t want his friend to see the bruises that bloomed over his chest, his shoulders, his back. “...Sojiro can handle those,” he said, doing his best to give Yusuke a reassuring smile.

Something in Yusuke’s expression dimmed at his words, but his fellow Phantom Thief nodded. “Very well,” he murmured, rising to put the medical kit away. With his back to Akira he said, “Get some rest Akira-san. I shall be back tomorrow, if I can.”

“Thanks, Yusuke,” Akira said, feeling like he had disappointed his friend somehow. “Be careful on your way home,” he added, wishing he could say _You’re my soulmate, please stay_ instead.

Yusuke nodded, and Akira listened longingly as the stairs creaked as he left.

\- - -

Morgana lifted his head from where he was curled at Akira’s side, focusing on the stairs. “Someone’s here,” he murmured, ears twitching as he cocked his head to the side.

“Can you tell who it is?” Akira asked, hoping that it was Yusuke. Makoto had stopped by yesterday, bringing with her gifts and messages of support from the rest of the team. Sojiro had also handed him a package of medicine labelled with Takemi’s handwriting, so someone had contacted her. He appreciated everyone’s help, but he longed for Yusuke’s company.

“It’s Yusuke!” Morgana exclaimed, bounding off the bed with a happy meow and racing down the stairs. Akira chuckled despite the pain it caused him, catching snatches of voices as he joined Sojiro and Yusuke below.

The stairs creaked a moment later, and he tried not to look too excited as Yusuke stepped into the attic. “Good afternoon, Akira-san,” he said with a smile.

“Hey Yusuke,” Akira replied, shifting slightly to give his friend more room as he settled on the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Yusuke asked, eyes scanning him intently before focusing on his bandages fingers.

“A bit better,” he said, smiling as Yusuke gently grasped his hand and examined it. He could almost flex his fingers now, and the swelling was going down on both his hands and the rest of his body.

“Good!” Yusuke said approvingly, sliding the cuff of his shirtsleeve back to examine his arm. “I was wondering–if you don’t mind–” Yusuke stumbled to a halt, Akira’s mouth going dry at the faint blush that rose to his cheeks a moment later. “The bathhouse,” he started slowly. “Would you like some assistance getting there and bathing?”

Akira opened his mouth, mind spinning. He wanted to make a joke about Morgana saying he smelled, but instead he asked, “Is it safe to go?” If Yusuke got caught with him...

Some of the tension left Yusuke’s expression at his question. “Sojiro-san mentioned something about the owner closing for a private event?”

Realization hit Akira, and swallowed hard. He did want a bath, but he was still uncomfortable letting Yusuke see the damage that had been done to him. But he’d much rather bathe with Yusuke than Sojiro or Ryuji, and he couldn’t go on his own.

“I...I’d like to go with you,” he said at last, surprised at the delighted smile Yusuke gave him.

“Excellent. Shall we go now?”

“Sure,” Akira agreed, and Yusuke leaned forward to help him sit up. Akira breathed in his scent as arms carefully lifted his battered body upright, wishing he could bury his head in Yusuke’s shoulder and stay there all night. He was relieved when the room didn’t spin when he stood up, Yusuke’s hands bracing his shoulders just in case. Walking wasn’t as painful as it had been the few days after Sae’s Palace, but navigating the stairs was still a challenge.

The cafe was empty except for Sojiro and Morgana, the latter asleep on a stool while the former was doing paperwork. “Glad to see you up and about,” Sojiro said, giving them a relieved smile. “Still, don’t overexert yourself, and don’t stay out too late.”

“I won’t,” Akira promised, Yusuke leaving his side momentarily to grab the zip up hoodie Sojiro held out. He grimaced as Yusuke helped him put it on, his friend flipping the hood up so that it obscured his face.

“Keep an eye on him, Kitagawa-kun,” Sojiro said sternly as they moved towards the door, Yusuke picking up a bulging bag with one hand, the other curled around Akira’s arm.

“Of course. I’ll make sure he stays safe,” Yusuke said, fumbling with his bag as he opened the door. Akira shivered as a gust of cold air rushed inside, but stepped out into the late autumn night anyway. Their breath misted in the air as they left the cafe behind, Yusuke a solid presence at his side, one hand loosely wrapped around Akira’s arm. He let his friend led him to the bathhouse, keeping his head down and gaze away from the few pedestrians they met along the way.

“Ah, welcome!” the bathhouse owner said as they stepped into the warm entryway of the building. “Sojiro-san said you might be dropping by.”

“Thank you for accommodating us,” Yusuke said with a small bow, and the owner laughed and stepped into the office behind the counter.

“Relax and stay as long as you like,” they said, waving them on. Yusuke nudged Akira forward, and they entered the changing room. Yusuke ushered him to a stool, then quickly and efficiently undressed, stowing his clothes in a locker. He the turned to Akira, who found his mouth bone dry despite the lingering steam in the room.

Yusuke started with his socks and sweatpants, easing them both off and neatly folding them. He hesitated only a moment before tugging off Akira’s boxers, politely adverting his gaze despite them both having seen each other naked before.

Meanwhile, Akira was doing his best not to stare at Yusuke. Sure they had bathed together before, but usually Ryuji had been with them, or at the very least Morgana. This was the first time it had just been the two of them. He was blushing, he knew that, but was ready to blame the warmth of the room if Yusuke brought it up. His body was not reacting beyond that, thankfully.

Akira tuned back in at Yusuke’s soft hiss, glancing down briefly to find his fingers framing a bruise on Akira’s hip. “It looks worse than it feels,” Akira said softly, giving his fried a smile when Yusuke met his gaze. Compared to his aching hands and chest, he barely noticed any pain from that particular injury.

Yusuke gave a hum of not-quite-acceptance, and Akira braced himself for his reaction as the hoodie was removed and slim fingers started to lift up his shirt.

Akira made himself focus on Yusuke’s face, seeing the exact moment he saw the full extent of Akira’s injuries. Eyes wide, Yusuke froze, staring at the mottled bruises covering his chest and stomach. “Bastards!” he snarled after a moment of attempting to speak and failing, normally his dark eyes alight with rage.

“Yusuke!” Akira said sharply, drawing his friend’s attention to him. “Calm down,” he said soothingly. “There’s nothing you can do about it now, and nothing’s broken.”

Yusuke stared at him for a moment, a mix of emotions crossing his face before he let Akira’s shirt drop and took a deep breath. “You’re right, Akira-san. It’s just...you were hurt so badly, and there was no need for it.”

Akira tensed in surprise as a hand cupped his jaw, Yusuke’s expression turning tender. “Injuries suffered in the Metaverse are one thing. Injuries suffered at the hands of petty, vengeful individuals are quite another.”

“Y-Yeah...” Akira breathed, not wanting to nod in case the motion made Yusuke let him go. “And it’s just Akira. We’ve been through enough to drop the -san, don’t you think?” That, and it felt weird for his soulmate to be so polite towards him, even if other soulmates went years before using more familiar forms of address.

Yusuke blinked, and he smiled. “Very well, Akira.” Akira’s stomach did flips at the way Yusuke said his name, and he didn’t even mind Yusuke’s hand dropping from his chin back down to his shirt hem. It was a bit of a struggle to get the shirt off, since Akira’s shoulders protested if he tried to lift his arms too high, but Yusuke patiently manoeuvred the shirt around until it was removed.

Then it was off the stool and into the bath room itself. Akira eyed the low stool he usually sat on while he washed himself off, not entirely convinced he would be able to get up if he sat down, even with assistance. Yusuke solved the problem by motioning to the facet and suggesting, “Why don’t you stand and I’ll pour the water over you?”

It was a slightly awkward arrangement, but it worked out alright in the end. Akira squeezed the last of the water out of his hair and watched the muscles in Yusuke’s back flex as Yusuke sat and quickly washed himself. It was a nice view, he had to admit, eyes following the water downwards as it flowed over pale skin. He just wished he could run his hands over that skin himself.

“Akira?” Yusuke’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he realized he had been caught staring.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, looking away. “Lost in thought.”

Yusuke hummed in acknowledgement and guided him over to the bath, stepping in first. “It’s quite hot,” he warned, lightly gripping Akira’s arms as Akira stepped into the water after him. The water was really hot, he realized, wincing slightly as he slowly sank into it. Yusuke watched him anxiously, only relaxing once Akira was seated and seemingly comfortable.

“Don’t overheat,” he warned, settling back against the edge of the bath.

“Was Morgana telling tales again?” Akira replied playfully, tilting his head back to gaze at the painted wall instead of at Yusuke’s chest.

“No, it was Ryuji-san.”

Akira chuckled, ignoring the pain it caused, and shifted to sit next to Yusuke. “How is everyone?” he asked, idly following wisps of steam as they curled up towards the ceiling. Makoto had said everyone was fine, and no one had mentioned anything wrong in the group text, so he supposed he was really asking _How are you?_

“Everyone seems well,” Yusuke replied after a moment. “Worried about you, mainly.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You’re our leader, Akira. It’s only natural for us to worry about you.”

Akira couldn’t respond to that, his throat closing over as guilt rushed through him. He had known the risks in getting captured by the police, had known they were angry at the Phantom Thieves. He had been expecting some retaliation from them, but not the severity of the beating he had received. If their positions were reversed and Yusuke had been the one injured, Akira would have been near frantic with rage and worry in the days since Sae’s Palace.

“Sorry,” he murmured, realizing just how he had made his friend – his soulmate – suffer. “I didn’t realize they would go so far.”

“None of us did, except, perhaps, Akechi-san.” Akira frowned at the name, but nodded. “Does Sae-san know?”

Akira narrowed his eyes at the question, trying to remember how Sae had reacted. He had been drugged and in pain for most of their conversation, but she had seemed disgusted but not shocked at the police’s brutality.

“I don’t think she knows my full injuries,” he said slowly, thinking back. “She wasn’t happy about it, but I don’t think she realized how badly I was beaten.” He glanced sideways at Yusuke. “Will you tell them?”

Yusuke sighed, slumping lower in the water. “I’ll tell Sae-san. She deserves to know. Perhaps Makoto-senpai,” he answered after a long moment. “But not the others. Not unless they press Morgana or I for details.”

Akira tipped his head to the side, watching Yusuke carefully. “Why won’t you tell the others?” he asked, curious to know Yusuke’s reasons.

“Because...” Yusuke trailed off, sitting up straight and staring down at the water. “Forgive me—this is probably a bad time—”

Yusuke blushed and struggled to speak for a moment, and a mixture of hope and nervousness bubbled up within Akira.

“You’re—we’re soulmates!” Yusuke said in a rush. “We’re soulmates,” he repeated in a softer tone. Akira literally slumped in relief at his words, and Yusuke looked up quickly, eyes wide with concern, but he relaxed when he realized Akira wasn’t in any danger.

“You knew?” Akira asked, reassessing all their previous interactions, analyzing them again with this new information. The lazy afternoons spent sharing a boat at Inokashira, Yusuke’s interest in Akira’s video games despite being terrible at them, all the little smiles and glances and touches they had shared since Yusuke became a Phantom Thief.

“Since the start,” Yusuke confessed, eyes darting away as if ashamed. “I was taught to always put my art first, no matter what,” he said, shoulders hunching slightly. “And I knew how Madarame-sensei would react if he found out my soulmate was male. Afterwards...” he shook his head slowly. “It never seemed the right time to say anything, and you never brought it up.”

Akira inwardly winced at the accusation, despite knowing Yusuke wasn’t truly angry about it. “You seemed so focused on Ann at first, I thought something was wrong and you were true soulmates and that the universe was punishing me for standing up to Shido,” he explained, giving his soulmate a smile when Yusuke looked at him, eyes wide. “And then, well, it was never a good time. We were always in the middle of a mission, or someone was around. I decided I would rather be friends with you than push you away by saying something.”

Yusuke smiled and raised a hand, threading his fingers through Akira’s damp hair. “We’ve both been very foolish, it seems.”

Akira leaned into the touch, letting his eyes close in bliss. “Yeah, guess so,” he murmured in agreement. “You must have been so worried about me,” he muttered after a moment, feeling himself blush in embarrassment.

“I was,” Yusuke acknowledged, fingers sliding down to stroke his cheek. “I still am, but it’s only natural for me to worry about my soulmate.”

Akira’s blush deepened at that, but he smiled and murmured, “Sorry, Yusuke.”

“I suppose I can forgive you,” his soulmate replied, shifting closer and pulling Akira against his side, one arm curled around his shoulders. “Would Sojiro-san mind if I spent the night?”

“Doubt it,” he murmured, relaxing into Yusuke’s embrace. “I can kick Morgana downstairs, if you want?” he asked, realizing that they could share a bed if Yusuke was comfortable with it.

“I was thinking that perhaps Morgana could stay with Futaba-chan for the night?” Yusuke asked carefully, and Akira opened his eyes to see him blushing heavily, gaze fixed on the ceiling. “I mean—you’re injured, but—”

“Sounds good to me!” Akira answered, cheerfully cutting him off as Yusuke sighed in defeat. They would probably kiss, maybe do a bit more, but his injuries wouldn’t allow for much else unless Yusuke got really creative.

Twisting slightly, he pressed a kiss to Yusuke’s neck when he remained tense. “Relax, I’m sure Futaba would love to hang out with Morgana for the evening.”

“I’m sure she would,” Yusuke replied after a moment, tilting his head down and pressing his own kiss to Akira’s forehead. “I just want to be with you, that’s all.”

“I understand,” Akira said, chest filled with joy at the simple pleasure of being able to spend time with his soulmate.


End file.
